Are you pursuing your passion, or working hard in pursuit of someone else’s?

September was a busy month at Bloom. Having an idea and making plans are just the start of building a business. Once the first round of strategizing is done, the legwork begins. This month I focused on merging growth and flowers to help my business, well, bloom! I also welcomed Briana Small to the Bloom team to help the growth continue. I have been working diligently with Diane Schwab of Charlotte Plantscapes to reach out to existing and potential clients. In preparation of our Holiday Market on October 4th, we had been sending ornaments to our prospects as a unique, memorable calling card.

For an entrepreneur, work rarely ends on Friday afternoon. Our weekends were filled with work to decorate the showroom for the aforementioned Holiday Market. As Van Gogh once said, “I would rather die of passion than boredom.” This mindset may be slightly melodramatic, but the quote rings true for a lot of entrepreneurs. Our passion is what sets our souls afire, and sometimes the hard work during that pursuit can cause us to burn out. That’s why it is important to have a plan, be ready for long hours and the emotional roller coaster.

In the end, it’s worth it.

So how do you know if you’re pursuing your passion? Take a few moments to consider the following:

Are you truly happy with what you’re doing?

What things bring you true joy?

If fear wasn’t a factor, what life would you be living right now?

What are the pros and cons of your current situation?

Sum up your life in one sentence. How does that sentence make you feel?

By evaluating your answers, you should be able to determine whether or not you are pursuing your passion. If you are not, the next question is simple:

Why?

There are often a plethora of logical reasons why we aren’t pursuing our passions. Time constraints, monetary commitments, fear of failure, and not knowing where to start. Life is too short not to pursue your passion. Here are a few ways to put on the brakes and change direction:

Meditate on the idea - If you have an idea in mind, take some quiet time to really think on it. Let the thoughts direct you to the pros and cons, the ifs and whens, the whats and hows. Unplug from external sources and let your inner-self guide you.

Meet with a financial planner - Money is often a major factor in our life decisions. Meeting with a financial planner can help you determine the feasibility of your goal and create a logical path to get there. You’ll be able to determine the hows and the whens of the situation.

Focus Groups- share your idea with different groups and see how they respond. This may give you the confidence you need to get started. On the other hand, negative reception might tell you that you need to rethink your approach. However, don’t let a few negative reactions limit you from achieving your dreams.

Chart it out- Start with your big goal on paper. Then list the things that need to happen to get there. Number those items in terms of priority, then create actionable steps by adding dates. All of a sudden your idea is a plan.

Long days, aching muscles, and heightened stress levels are all worth it the moment you see what you’ve created and the joy it brings to others. Are you pursuing your passion? You should be.